Arizona swimmers look for Olympic berths Monday

Arizona swimmers will make up half of the field for the women's 50-meter freestyle final Monday at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Neb.

Christine Magnuson of Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics was second in the semifinals Sunday behind Jessica Hardy. Magnuson still is trying to get onto her second Olympic team after failing to make it in the 100 butterfly, her silver medal-winning event at the 2008 Olympics.

Dara Torres, trying to make her sixth Olympic team at 45, was third in the semis.

The University of Arizona's Margo Geer and Kait Flederbach qualified sixth and seventh and former UA sprinter Lara Jackson was eighth.

In the men's 50 free final, Matt Grevers of Tucson Ford and UA's Adam Small were sixth and seventh. Grevers earlier won the 100 backstroke and qualified for the 400 free relay.

Elsewhere, Michael Phelps earned a chance to swim eight Olympic races, rallying to win the 100-meter butterfly at the U.S. trials.

Also, Missy Franklin will become the first American female to swim seven events at the Olympics. The 17-year-old Franklin locked up her fourth individual event with a dominating win in the 200-meter backstroke.

Franklin had already earned spots in the 100 and 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke. She's also assured of swimming on all three relays.